Heart Failure Associated With Loss Of Important Gut Bacteria

In the gut of patients with heart failure, important groups of bacteria are found less frequently and the gut flora is not as diverse as in healthy individuals. It has long been known that heart failure and gut health are linked. The gut has a worse blood supply in instances of heart failure; the intestinal wall is thicker and more permeable, whereby bacteria and bacterial components may find their way into the blood. Moreover, scientists know that the composition of the gut bacteria is altered in other widespread diseases such as type 2 diabetes.

Diet, medication and smoking have the largest influence on the make up of gut flora. The differences between healthy individuals and those with heart failure came about mainly through the loss of bacteria of the genera Blautia and Collinsella, as well as two previously unknown genera that belong to the families Erysipelotrichaceae and Ruminococcaceae.

Is it the chicken or the egg when it comes to cause and effect? Or, should we be using the “garbage in” and “garbage out” model? When it comes to our food consumption habits and health impacts, I’d start there.
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Black raspberry intake was also associated with increased levels of circulating endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs), which help repair and regenerate damaged arteries

Black Raspberry Improves Cardiovascular Risk in Metabolic Syndrome

28/04/2016 19:51 GMT

Mary Ann Liebert, Inc., Publishers

A new study shows that black raspberry extract can significantly lower a key measure of arterial stiffness-an indicator of cardiovascular disease. Black raspberry intake was also associated with increased levels of circulating endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs), which help repair and regenerate damaged arteries, according to the study published in Journal of Medicinal Food, a peer-reviewed journal from Mary Ann Liebert, Inc., publishers (http://www.liebertpub..com/). The article is available free on the Journal of Medicinal Food (http://online.liebertpub.com/doi/full/10.1089/jmf.2015.3563) website until May 28, 2016.
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Most studies conducted to date, have investigated the effect of various buckwheat extracts or individual molecular components on cell lines and animal models, with relatively few studies being performed on humans. [5]

The present study provided a valuable contribution in this context, particularly with regard to investigating the potential anti-inflammatory effect. Of relevance, it was possible to examine the above-mentioned parameters, after the consumption of the buckwheat-enriched wheat as the staple carbohydrate source in the diet.

The effects were then compared with those obtained after the consumption of modern wheat alone on the same population of Italian individuals, traditionally accustomed to wheat as a staple carbohydrate source. The results showed a positively impact on CVD risk by downregulating several key parameters associated with the disease.

In conclusion, a replacement diet with buckwheat-enriched products impacted positively by down-regulating several key parameters associated with CVD risk, including total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, blood glucose, insulin, and the HOMA index.

No improvements in the inflammatory profile were observed in the present studies that were specifically related to the consumption of buckwheat products. Additional human research is necessary to further investigate the possible beneficial effect of this pseudo-cereal.
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Everything A Woman Needs To Know To Play And Win The "Is It Healthy?" Game

The severity of key risk factors for heart disease, diabetes and stroke appears to increase more rapidly in the years leading up to menopause, rather than after. New research in Journal of the American Heart Association, the Open Access Journal of the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association.

The risk factors, together known as metabolic syndrome, include a large waistline, high triglyceride (a blood fat) levels, low HDL (the “good” cholesterol) levels, high blood pressure and high blood sugar when fasting. Paying attention to food quality and what’s in the processed foods being consumed is a good first step to avoiding some of these risk factors. There’s lot’s of evidence pointing to food as highly effective medicine for reducing risk..Eat it to stay well. Or take prescription drugs along with their known side effects. Leaching nutrients leading to malnutrition pose significant risks. Eat your way out of heart disease and stroke risk.
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Magnesium may modestly lower blood pressure

Researchers have long debated whether magnesium plays a role in regulating blood pressure with inconsistent and controversial evidence from studies in humans. This meta-analysis, however, collected data from 34 clinical trials, involving 2,028 participants, and found a small but significant association between magnesium intake and reduced blood pressure.

With epic levels of obesity and CVD, it’s only a matter of time before we start looking at nutritional supplementation as an accessible, affordable and effective path to health and wellness.
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